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Monday, 22 September 2014

A little while ago I mentioned a project titled everyday issues which I'll be using to discuss the little (and large) things in life that we all struggle to cope with. I think it's about time to share with you some of the things I've been writing about. I give you the first post addressing an everyday issue I know a lot of you guys will be worrying about as the new academic year rolls in. I know many of you will have started at a new school or will soon be starting college or university and a big part of these changes is the introduction of new people in to your life.

We meet new people every single day of our lives, most of the time they are in the background - people who pass us on the street or who are briefly in the same room as us - but every once in a while we find ourselves in a situation where we know absolutely no-one but we're expected to talk to them. For people who suffer with anxiety, meeting new people in a situation where you need to talk to strangers can be incredibly stressful yet for others it's something that comes naturally.

Everyone gets scared or nervous, it's not something we should be ashamed of. Of course you're going to be wary, you don't know these people and they don't know you. What if they're more intelligent? What if you stumble over your words and feel embarrassed? What if they think they're better than you? The questions run through your mind, making you panic. But is it really all that scary? You should be able to answer every single one of those questions with 'So what?'. So what if you trip over walking to them? You can laugh it off. So what if you're not funny to them? At least you gave it a go.

The one thing to always remember is that you should never change your personality just to please the other person. Be yourself. They're probably just as nervous as you are.

You need to feel confident yet cautious, saying the wrong thing might offend and then you'll be remembered for all the wrong reasons. You want to impress someone by being yourself because no-one can fault you for just being you. Certain situations do call for certain behaviours however. A strong handshake is always a good approach when meeting someone new in a formal situation whether that's at a formal event like a gala or at a job interview but at a house party or in class a simple 'Hi, I'm ---' can be enough to start a beautiful friendship.

Have you ever been in a situation where you've been uncomfortable or unsure because you don't know anyone? Share in the comments your story or if you're shy, send me an email. Just because it's a small issue, doesn't mean it's not something that can be worked on or talked about!

Remember to comment, like, +1, share, subscribe, etc. You can find all of my social media linkshere.

Friday, 19 September 2014

The weather may be rather gloomy today but I'm a complete bundle of sunshine and happiness! It's been a rather lovely couple of weeks back home now and I'm getting super excited to be going back to Chester in a few days. I'm also super excited about some new projects that you guys will be able to hear about very soon and if you're a student it's going to be so much fun to get involved with!

There are a few more posts coming up this weekend so keep your eyes peeled. Also, I'm looking to find out what it is you guys would like to read about so if there's something bugging you then get in touch!

I've had a lot of emails, tweets and messages recently with such lovely messages from you all and it's so refreshing. I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to read my ramblings (even though some of them make very little sense) and I'm very pleased that we've reached over 5,500 hits in the past couple of weeks. Coming up in the next few weeks will be some different content discussing things that trouble all of us including a very special guest post from a good friend of mine so get excited!

It's been a short but sweet one for today but don't worry, I promise there's a more substantial post coming up tomorrow all about meeting new people.

Thursday, 11 September 2014

It's been a while since I've done a university related post and with a lot of you starting (or returning to) university in the next few weeks, I thought it's about time I did one. I'm now on the dawn of my second year at the University of Chester and I am wholly excited and also slightly terrified at this prospect. I mean, first year was a whole lot of fun but I will admit that I was incredibly lazy and if I'm going to do well this year I really need to up my game. Fortunately, I think that having worked over the summer and gotten in to a routine of sorts, I'll find it a lot easier to jump out of bed in the mornings with a positive attitude to the day. I'll definitely be making a weekly timetable of what I'll be doing and when as I expect I'll have a lot more work but I've also got to allow myself the time to relax and I know I can tend to become absorbed in either working or relaxing.

Anyway, I'm not here to tell you about that right now. Instead, I'm talking to those of you who feel they didn't quite find their place last year or who are starting their university adventure this year. It can be a difficult time in your first year of university, I know I certainly struggled with knowing who I was and who to be friends with. I had no idea how to maintain a healthy lifestyle in both the physical and mental sense and I did have a few little issues but now I'm confident and happy and I feel I know myself a whole lot more.

The one thing to remember about University is that it's a chance for you to discover yourself. You get to try new things, meet new people and turn your dreams in to a reality. The best way to start is go crazy and try out some of the societies available to you; most universities have a trial period for when you join a new society so you have so many options available to you! Try something you would never normally do - if you're heading to Chester there's so many things: Pole Fitness, Women's Rugby, Quidditch, American Football! Have a go, you never know what you'll love.

Try not to lock yourself away and focus completely on your studies, university isn't just a place of learning, it's a place for forming new friendships and you can't make friends if you never see anybody. Spend time with the people in your halls/house/flat, go down to the SU and introduce yourself to some people, talk to people in your lectures and arrange to see them for coffee. Make that little effort to discover something outside of your subject. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there, who knows, you could meet the love of your life!

Remember that you don't have to limit yourself to the university, there's things to do in the community too. Find a local drama group or choir, volunteer for a charity, join in with community clean ups. Not only is it great on your CV but it'll give you a huge confidence boost as you're likely to meet such a wide variety of people who will have very different lives to you. Also, don't be scared to chat to people you meet on a night out on the town, you'll find that a lot of the people you meet are actually very interesting. That's another thing, give yourself a chance to relax each week, whether that's going on a night out or having a night in with your mates, everyone needs a break once in a while.

If you're heading to Chester this year and are worried about making new friends, get in touch with me! I'd be more than happy to meet up with you and have a chat over a drink.

Don't forget to like, comment, share, subscribe, etc. and feel free to send me an email or message via the comment form at the bottom of the page. All of my social media links can be found here.

Sunday, 7 September 2014

As you already know, I have spent the past 8 weeks working at Presthaven Holiday Park in Prestatyn, Wales as part of the Entertainments team. Let me tell you, it's been an amazing summer and I've been able to have so many new experiences and discover more about who I really am. I've found a side of me that's super confident and willing to do things that would have previously made me squirm. I've worked with an amazing team and made some really great friends who are super talented and they're all very special people.

Before I tell you what I've been up to, I'd like to say a huge thank you to the team for making me feel right at home. Tracey, Jake, Ellie, Holly, Lisa, Harriet, Sandy, Lindsay, Lilli and Shane, you truly are amazing people and I am so honoured to have had the opportunity to work with you all. Also, a massive thank you to the Complex team for being so lovely and welcoming and to Haven Holidays for giving me a summer to remember.

I have taken part in many different aspects of the Funstar life and this is the chance for you to have a little bit of an insight. Of course, what I tell you is only going to be a small snippet of the things you get up to in this job as I'm sure you can imagine.

Character Breakfasts

I had so much fun walking the Seaside Squad around the Mash and Barrel, whether it was Rory, Greedy, Polly, Ned or Bradley (I don't think I ever got to work on a breakfast with Anxious). The best day for me believe it or not, was Mondays with Bradley and Ned. Being a check in day, it was always a busy one so there were lots of people having their photograph taken with Bradley and Ned before collecting a sticker and recipe cards from me and having a little chat about their holiday. It was a lovely opportunity to actually get to chat with the guests and it was always wonderful to see the grins on the children's faces as they gave Bradley a big bear hug or Ned a high 5.

Kids Clubs

Most of the time I was with Club RnB working with children aged between 5 and 8 (although we did have the odd few that were clearly older or younger but were with siblings or didn't want to do the activity their own groups were doing). Over the weeks the groups have made a hat for Bradley Bear, Aladdin's cave of wonders, Cinderella's shoe palace, Wrestling posters and banners and many seaside holiday drawings in Arts and Crafts. There's also been many sessions doing seaside games or character sports with special guest Rory. It's nice being able to keep the children happy and give the rest of the holiday party a bit of a break.

Go Live

I was fortunate enough to take part in a whole load of Go Live games which were always filled with hilarity. I've had my face painted, shaving foam pies thrown all over the place, pizza smooshed in my face, bouncy hoppers hitting me on the head and so much more. It's really hard to explain just how much fun the games were and how satisfying it is to know you're providing quality entertainment for so many people.

Project Talent

Project Talent is something done by every Haven park during Peak season where the Funstars go head to head showing off their talent. The winner from each park goes through to semi finals and then there's the finals held at the end of season gala. I was ill for a couple of the shows but I really enjoyed taking part in this competition. It gave me the opportunity to sing solo for large crowds (something I still get a little nervous about even after doing it several times over the years) and to show that I've got more to me than just a bright smile and great conversation.

If you'd like to hear a bit more about some of the other things I've been up to this summer then let me know! Leave a comment or drop me an email using the contact form or you can find my social media links here.

Hello

I'm Tamsin, a 21 year old student taking on life at the University of Chester. Things here vary so be prepared to read about Uni Life, #everydayissues and products as well as totally random things! Do let me know if there's something you'd like me to write about and follow me on Google+ for immediate updates when I make a new post.